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I& #39;d encourage everyone to read this. Prior to joining @Local871, I made $900/wk for 5 yrs straight (for laypeople, you& #39;re lucky to work 1/2 the year, even if you& #39;re on a show). 5 yrs with no increase. Cost of living went up 3%/yr during this time, so pay went less & less far https://twitter.com/moryan/status/1273355829551513607">https://twitter.com/moryan/st...
once we unionized, I got an instant 25% increase to the MINIMUM rate under the agreement. Even now, 2+ yrs since it took effect, most studios/prods won& #39;t pay a dime over the minimum in the agreement. When you try to negotiate, you& #39;re met with "blame the union, they set the rate"
and in the times of Covid-induced Zoom Rooms, your expenses are increased - no more free lunch/snacks, increased utilities at your home, etc. So even though it& #39;s a modest amount, you now have to absorb it into your stagnant wages
And then there& #39;s this. A stigma exists, especially in comedy, that bc you work in a writer& #39;s room you& #39;re in a "fun" environment, and therefore it& #39;s not as valued as equitable positions in Production or Post. https://twitter.com/athurlow/status/1273672009239552001?s=20">https://twitter.com/athurlow/...
I& #39;ve been denied a pay bump bc "what if you get a script?" This carrot is often dangled, but the reality is w/ increasingly shorter ep orders & overall runs of shows, these opportunities are fewer. Not to mention that script fees are a separate line item, and would be paid anyway
Back to the loss of free food in a Covid world: I know SO MANY PEOPLE (myself included) who have had to only eat 1/2 of their lunch and take the rest home for dinner in order to save money on groceries. This is a HUGE loss & most studios aren& #39;t paying a stipend to make up for it
re: freelance scripts (sorry for lack of structure in this thread): while it can help advance your career, its not the guarantee it once was. Of course you have to make your own way in a competitive biz, but it& #39;s treated as a mealticket by those denying pay when it& #39;s far from it
that isn& #39;t to say it& #39;s not still coveted, and that people aren& #39;t grateful when they do receive one (it& #39;s hugely generous by showrunners & I& #39;m so appreciative of those opportunities) but to have potential career advancement weaponized against you over $70-100/wk is unconscionable
